On Boarding the "Transitional" Presidency: A New Imperative for "Interim" Presidents

Presidential transitions will increase dramatically over the next 5-10 years. The role of "interim" presidents will become more important and strategic than ever before. The challenge then is two fold:

1. Do we have enough qualified interim presidents to fill in the leadership gaps that will be created ( we are unsure of this).
2. How does the external interim, or as we call it, the "transitional" president quickly and successfully onboard onto campus and lead from day one?

There will be no "honeymoon" period for these transitional presidents due to the complexities and challenges facing our campuses. The pace of change will only get faster and the future is saturated with ambiguity.
The "transitional" president must connect with the campus culture authentically and quickly and learn about institutional politics, culture, and values. How does a new leader actually do this?

This book has many effective, field-tested onboarding strategies for external, transitional presidents to consider utilizing as they begin their leadership journey. A presidential transition is a fragile time for a campus. This book will enable a new leader to manage these important transitions successfully and connect with campus stakeholders as they lead them through the adaptive challenges facing higher education.